Electric meter.



No. 699,899. Patented-May [3, I902.

G. A. SCHEEFFER.

ELECTRIC METER.

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Patented May 13, I902. G. A. .SCHEEFFEB.

ELECTRIC-METER.

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No. 599,899. v Patented May I3, I902.

G. A. SCHEEFFER.

ELECTRIC METER.

. (Application filed. Jan. 10, 1900.)

(No Model.) 4 Shoals-Sheet 3.

WIIUE5EE5 I E f ITIVEILUH C. GU EVEA-EEHEEFFER A Elm-[E 5 "Patented May l3, I902- s. A. SCHEEFFER. ELECTRIC METER. (Application filed. Jan. 10, 1900.)

I (No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

GUSTAVE A. SOI-IEEFFER, OF PEOBIA', ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE DIAMOND METER COMPANY, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,899, dated May 13, 1902. Application filed January 10, 1900'- .Serial No. 1,021. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

. Be it known thatI, GUSTAVE A. Sc'nnnnnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illi-.

nois, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Electric-Meters, (Case No.-

ployed for measuring direct and alternating current, and more particularly to oscillatingmeters, and has for its object the provision I 5 of an oscillating meter of improved construc-- tion and circuit arrangement.

In accordance With my invention I provide means for effecting a reversed movement of the rotating or oscillatingelement of themeter when it has been rotated by the normal torque of the meter to a predetermined point in its oscillation, the means for effecting the reversed movement of the oscillating member counteracting the torque. In the preferred embodiment of .the invention I- employ an electromagnet which is efiectively energized through the agency of the oscillating portion" of the meter when it has been rotated to the predetermined point, as aforesaid, the armature of the electromagnet in being-attracted impinging upon an arm-movable with the oscillating member to effect the reversal in the movement of the armature. In the pre ferred embodiment of the invention the armature and magnet are included in parallel relation, being also preferably included in independent bridges, that through the armature being permanently closed, while that through the magnet is closed by the oscillat- 4o ing member of the meter. A recording or totalizing mechanism is preferably operated as the armature ofthe electromagnet is being restored to its normal unattracted position. In orderthat the oscillating member of the meter may not be rotated too rapidly in one direction, owing to the normal torque of the meter, and too far in the reversed direction by the armature of the electromagnet when attracted, I employ a retarding device,which go is preferably composed of a disk carried by the shaft of the rotatable element, and a per- .planview on line b b of Fig. 1.

manent magnet or magnets cooperating with the disk;

- My invention further resides in the provision of an improved current-collecting device for conveying current to the Winding of the oscillating member; and to this end my invention comprises a pair of cylindrical contact parts forming the terminals of the armature-winding, these terminals being insulated from each other and being placed coaxially with the axis of rotation of the oscillating member. In the preferred embodiment of the invention these cylindrical contact parts are carried upon a yoke which is anchored at one end to the shaft of the oscillating member, the yoke carrying the said contact parts at its other end above the upper bearing of the shaft. By this construction the said contact parts may be made of very small diam- 7o eter, whereby the friction and the sparking are greatly reduced. These contact parts are preferably formed of platinum, and contactbrushes are employed, connected with the circuit for engagement with the contacts, the contact-brushes being preferably faced with gold at their points of engagement with the cylindrical contacts. I find that platinum and gold give excellent results, as the friction between these metals is practically neg- 8o 'ligib'le. Moreover, engaging contact parts made of these metals do not readily oxidize, whereby they remain smooth, andthereby avoid sparking.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a meter constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view on line a a go of Fig. 1 in the direction indicated by the arrows, the oscillating or rotating, member having been rotated to an alternative position. Fig. 3 is a similar view on line a a, but taken in a reversed direction. Fig. 4 is a sectional Fig. 5 is a detailed front elevation of the magnet forming part of my apparatus, a portion of the counting mechanism being also shown. Fig.

6 is a plan view of the magnet and parts 00- Ice operativ'ely associated therewith. Fig. 7 is a detailed View showing a terminal brush and one of the cylindrical contacts engaging the same. Fig. Sis a view showing the shaft and parts mechanically united therewith, the windings and conductors being removed for the sake of clearness. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus of my invention as connected in circuit.

Like parts are indicated by similar char actors of reference throughout the different figures.

In Fig. 9 I have illustrated a generator of electricity 1, which may be either of the alternating or direct current type. This generator is shown as supplying current to translating devices 2. A field-winding 3, preferably formed in two coils, is illustrated. I have shown a laminated core 5 for the fieldwinding, an armature 6, mounted on a rotatable shaft 7, being interposed between the poles of the field-core. The armature preferably has a single coil of fine wire, which is preferably wound in a plane parallel with the shaft about two end plates 8 8, (shown most clearly in Fig. 8,) composed, preferably,of insulating fiber, insulating-sleeves 9 being also disposed about the shaft to protect the wire. Extraneous resistance 10 is adapted forinclusion in circuit with the armature to prevent an undue flow of current therethrough. As the armature-winding in this instance comprises a single coil of wire, it has only two terminals. These terminals are preferably in the form of cylindrical contacts or pins 11 11 and are here shown as being inserted in opposite ends of a cylindrical stem of insulating material 12, the cylindrical contacts preferably having threaded engagement with the said stem. I also preferably employ a pair of nuts 13 13, engaging each cylindrical contact, between which the terminal wires of the armature-coil may be secured.

In order that the cylindrical contacts may be made of very small diameter and may be alined with the axis of the shaft,- I preferably employ a yoke 14, which has clamping engagement at its lower end with the armatureshaft and at its upper end with the insulatlug-stem 12, the upper end of the yoke serving to secure the cylindrical contacts above the upper bearing 15 of the armature-shaft. Contact-brushes 16 are adapted for engagement with the contacts 11, the brushes being rotatably mounted upon a vertical stem 17, clamping-screws 18 being employed to secure the brushes in any position to which they are adjusted. The cylindrical contactpins 11 are preferably made of platinum, while the portions of the brushes engaging the same are provided with facings of gold 19, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 7, whereby the advantages heretofore pointed out are attained.

The instrument is adjusted to have the armature rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow under the influence of the torque due to the current in the field and the armature. After the armature has been rotated to a predetermined point, through the action of the normal torque of the meter, means are brought into play whereby this normal torque is counteracted or overcome and the armature rotated in a reversed direction. This means for producing the reverse movement of the armature preferably does not include either the field or armature winding of the meter, being in the preferred embodiment of the invention capable of producing the reverse motion of the meter-armature or oscillating member of the meter independently of the torque due to the meter-coils. In practicing this feature of my invention I preferably employ an electromagnet 20, whose armature is carried upon a swinging arm 21. The arm 21 is held against a stop 22 by a spring 23 when the magnet is deenergized. The arm 21 constitutes a stop for limiting the rotation of the armature of the meter, an arm 24, carried upon the armature-shaft and retating with the armature of the meter, coming in contact with the arm 21 to thereby stop the further rotation of the meter-armature in the direction indicated by the arrow. In order to effect a reversed movement of the meter-armature, the magnet is energized when the arm 24 strikes the arm 21. In order that the magnet 20 may be energized, one end thereof is preferably connected, through an extraneous resistance 25, with one of the transmission-conductors, the other end of the magnet-winding having connection with the arm 21, while the arm 24; is adapted to have electrical contact with the arm 21 and is connected with the other transmission-conductor. In order to eifect connection of the arm 21 with its main conductor, I preferably connect a wire 26 between the same and one of the cylindrical contacts 11, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 3. Thus when the arm 24 is rotated by the meter-armature into contact with the arm 21 circuit is momentarily closed through the magnet 20, which thereupon is energized to attract its armature in opposition to the spring 23. The arm 21 thereupon rotates the arm 24:, together with the meterarmature coupled therewith, in the direction opposite that indicated by the arrow. Other means, however, may be employed for energizing the electromagnet 20 than those shown and described.

In order to prevent the arm 21 from rotatin g the meter-armature too far in the reversed direction, I employ a retarding device which in its preferred form comprises a disk 27, rotating with the armature, and a permanent magnet or permanent magnets 28, cooperating with the disk to check the speed of rotation of the armature. These permanent magnets are adjustable, whereby the degree of retardation effected is regulated. The retarding device also acts to oppose the torque of the meter, which in my preferred construction operates in a single uniform direc- IIS tion. The recording mechanism is preferably intermittently actuated, for which purpose I preferably provide a pawl 29, rotatably secured upon the arm 21, this pawl serving to actuate a ratchet 30 each time the arm 21 is released by the electromagnet 20. The ratchet is operatively connected with the measuring mechanism. A detent 31 engages the ratchet 30 to prevent it from being rotated in a reverse direction upon the attraction of the arm 21 by the magnet 20.

While I have herein shown and particularly described a meter constructed in accordance with my invention, it is obvious that many changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not, therefore, desire to be limited to the precise features of construction shown and specifically described; but,

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a meter, the combination with the armature-winding thereof,of a shaft upon which the armature-winding is rotatably mounted, a yoke 14 secured to the shaft, a cylindrical contact-pin located in axial alinement with the shaft, said contact constituting a terminal of the armature-Winding, a brush engag-.

ing the said contact-terminal for connecting a terminal of the armature-winding with one side of a distribution-circuit, and means for connecting the other terminal of the armature- Winding with the remaining side of the distribution-circuit, substantially as described.

2. In a meter, the combination with the armature-Winding thereof,of a shaft upon which the armature-winding is rotatably mounted, a yoke 14 secured to the shaft,- an insulating portion 12 carried by the yoke, cylindrical contact-pins secured to the said insulating portion and placed in axial alinement with the shaft, said pins having connection with the terminals of the armature-winding, and contact-brushes for engagement with the pins to include the armature-winding in circuit, substantially as described. 3. In a meter, the combination with the armature-windin g thereof, of a shaft upon which the armature-Winding is rotatably mounted, a yoke 14 secured to the shaft,an insulating portion 12 carriedby the yoke, cylindrical contact-pins secured to the said insulating portion and placed in axial alinement with the shaft, said pins having threaded engagement with the insulating portion, and nuts 13, 13 also having threaded engagement with the pins, terminal Wires of the armaturewinding being secured in electrical connection with the contact-pins through the agency of said nuts, substantially as described.

4. In an oscillating electric meter, the combination with the oscillating member thereof mounted upon a rotating shaft, of an arm movable with the oscillating member, an electromagnet, means controlled thereby for effecting the movement of the oscillating member of the meter in a direction reverse to the direction of rotation due to the torque-producing means of the meter, the said arm-being adapted to come in contact with a'terminal of the electromagnet to close circuit therewith, a yoke 14 carried by the shaft of the oscillating member, a cylindrical contactpin carried by the said yoke in axial alinement with the said shaft, said pin having electrical connection with the said-arm, and a brush for connecting the said electrical contact-pin with one side of the transmission GUSTAVE A. SCI-IEEFFER.

WVitnesses: W.-J. H. CRIBB,

J. M. Enron. 

